Barix has announced that at the upcoming 2024 NAB Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center (booth C2348), it will launch the LX400, a new Audio-over-IP (AoIP) codec for broadcast applications such as STL, studio-to-studio and other audio networking applications.
The new LX400 is the successor to the company’s Exstreamer 500, which remains in its broadcast portfolio. The LX400 carries over many of the same features, including multiple contact closures, relays and a USB port for direct-from-device playout while adding new capabilities. And, it’s customizable to support legacy point-to-point and cloud networking scenarios such as syndicated program distribution.
It offers software codec options, including OPUS and AACplus for compressed transport, and PCM to support uncompressed transmission. OPUS essentially delivers lossless quality audio to listeners while using less bandwidth, reducing audio contribution and distribution costs.
Other first-time features for broadcast-specific Barix hardware products include end-to-end delay control for RTP streaming, adherence to the latest security standards (HTTPS), and stream redundancy modes for uninterrupted broadcasting. The LX400 also enhances buffering performance for Icecast streams, ensuring more constant and consistent playback.
The LX400 is configurable as an encoder or decoder and is compatible with the Reflector EVO service, offered through Barix’s long-time partner StreamGuys, for full-duplex audio contribution and distribution in the cloud. For more traditional point-to-point applications, the LX400 is configured with Barix STL firmware.
“The LX400 continues Barix’s rich tradition of supplying broadcasters with reliable IP audio solutions that allow them to migrate away from expensive satellite and TDM networking system for program audio transport,” says Reto Brader, CEO, Barix. “The underlying platform builds in the same features and capabilities of our recently introduced MultiCoder M400 solution for live IP audio encoding and streaming, and packages them into professional, compact and cost-efficient codec solution that meets today’s audio networking requirements for the broadcast community.”
Power redundancy is assured in either scenario through the availability of PoE and 24-volt DC service, providing failsafe operation for those that want to use the network as their primary device powering option. Other standard features include eight dry contact inputs, eight output relays, a digital AES3 audio output for StudioHub wiring infrastructure. Local music playout is achieved via the LX400’s USB port, providing a failsafe for AM and FM stations should they be unable to receive audio due to network outages.
